Dr. Sean Sterrett joined the Biol-

ogy Department in January 2019

and will be teaching courses to

support the Biology and MEBP

programs, including BY 109

(Introduction to Biodiversity and

Evolution), Wildlife Ecology, Her-

petology, Seminar, research

courses, and other offerings.

His research interest is in wildlife

communities (including salaman-

ders and turtles, as described

below). Most recently, Dr. Ster-

rett was a Postdoctoral Research

Fellow at the University of Mas-

sachusetts Amherst and also

spent some time doing research

for the US Geological Survey

through Penn State University.

His doctoral degree is from the

University of Georgia, while he

did his undergraduate work at

Butler University in Indiana – he

has seen several parts of the

country before landing in New

Jersey! In his own words:

What led you to MU?

I got my start in research at But-

ler University as an undergradu-

ate working on various ecological

field studies involving freshwater

turtles and salamanders. Those

experiences changed my life. I

have always wanted to be a part

of a similar place that value those

opportunities for budding scien-

tists and it is quite obvious that

Monmouth University shares

those values.

What work do you hope to

get started with MU students?

A common theme of my re-

search is to understand how and

if wildlife persist in human-

dominated landscapes using a

mixture of observational studies,

mesocosm experiments and

modelling exercises. I will be

installing coverboard plots in

Monmouth County, NJ to under-

stand the demography of fores

floor salamanders as part of the

Salamander Population and Adap-

tation Research Collaborative

Network (SPARCnet), a network

of researchers across the Eastern

U.S. (to be continued, p. 2)

Welcome to Dr. Sean Sterrett

Dr. Kathryn Lionetti: Transfer Champion!

Dr. Kathryn Lionetti was the first

recipient of the Jean Judge Transfer

Champion Award, which recogniz-

es faculty and administrators who

go the extra mile for Monmouth’s

transfer students. The award was

presented at a Center for Excel-

lence in Teaching and Learning

(CETL) event, “Ensuring the Suc-

cess of Your Transfer Students” in October 2018. This was a panel

presentation for faculty advisors,

and Dr. Lionetti was one of expe-

rienced transfer advisors leading

the panel. The goal of the event

was to share best practices sur-

rounding transfer advisement at

Monmouth University – therefore,

it was fitting to present the award

at the event as Dr. Lionetti is an

experienced and dedicated advisor

for the transfer students to the Biology Department. Starting

as a freshmen advisor in her sec-

ond semester at Monmouth,

(to be continued on p. 6)

April 8th 2019 April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

Capturing an invasive Burmese

Python (Python bivittatus) in the Florida Everglades during the 2016

Python Challenge

April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

What’s glowing in the Biology Department

Inside the Issue:

Biology Major:

Student Athletes

2

Advice for

Younger Student

Athletes

3

Student Spotlight 4

We Are Woman,

hear Us Roar:

5

Lab Safety

Corner

6

Using Fractal Pat-

terning to Explore

the Coastline...

7

Next Gen Igniting

Science Interests

at MU...

8

ExEd Spotlight 8

The Biology Department is very proud to

have a high number of student athletes in

our programs. These athletes must have a

great deal of stamina to complete a com-

plex major, balancing courses, long labora-

tory sessions, and in some cases, inde-

pendent research projects, in addition to

their athletic practice and competition

schedules. These students have been suc-

cessful in shining on the field/court/pool and in the classroom. Currently, we have

six athletes with senior status in the De-

partment. We asked the senior athletes

how they have managed to be so success-

ful at Monmouth. Overwhelming, the re-

sponses received demonstrated that they

have learned excellent time management

skills – studying in advance, keeping a

good calendar of activities, and planning

every ounce of free time. The athletes we

have interviewed collectively indicated

that achieving this balance is not easy, and

it takes time to learn how to prioritize

and balance work on and off the field.

When this balance is achieved amazing

work can be accomplished. Sarah Gillogly,

a senior lacrosse player almost did not

major in science freshmen year but ulti-

mately followed her heart to become an

MEBP major. She immediately realized the

time management challenge that athletics

demands, stating, “It is a cliche at this

point, but the biggest difference between people who fail in success in a science

major and as a student-athlete is time

management.” Junior swimmer Bradie

Keelen told us, “I have actually found that

I am more focused, and even get better

grades, when I'm in season and have a

more full schedule.” For Senior women’s

basketball player McKinzee Barker, the

biggest challenge has been finding time to

study for exams. She commented, “I am

always able to find a quick window to

finish assignments, but actually studying is

difficult due to my lack of free time. It is

also difficult to be in a learning state of

mind to study, or even attend class. Most

of the time I have to run to class after

lifting or attending a two-hour practice

that had plenty of learning involved on its

own.”

Despite the challenges, succeeding in both

realms has its own unique joys. Students

are able to have fun using their athletic talents while at Monmouth, but still enjoy

academically preparing for their future

career. McKinzee commented, “It is ex-

tremely satisfying to know that despite the

effort I had to put into my sport and how

it usually takes away from the effort I can

put into my class, I still somehow managed

to do well. It is a very rewarding feeling.”

McKinzee’s long-term career goal is to

become a small and large animal veterinar-

ian. She is hoping to spend some time

after graduation working and shadowing

several vets (to be continued on p. 3)

Biology Major: Student Athletes

Page 2

Left: Sarah Gillogly playing lacrosse & McKinzee Barker playing basketball (right)

Capturing an Alligator Snapping turtle

(Macrochelys temminckii) in south Georgia. This individual was about 70 lbs

April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

Welcome to Dr. Sean Sterrett

continued…

using a common protocol to

compare populations across the

range of a species. I will also be

employing field methods to un-

derstand terrestrial and aquatic

turtle communities, including the

use of radiotelemetry and un-manned aerial systems (i.e.

drones). Much of my research

aims to evaluate the impacts of

road mortality on wildlife that

move around landscapes to com-

plete their life cycle. In Summer

2019, we are surveying citizen

science volunteers that actively

move amphibians across roads in

a remarkable synchronous migra-

tion event called the "Big Night".

We want to better understand

their motivations, barriers and

thresholds for participation.

Can you describe what you

think the addition of Herpe-

tology and Wildlife Ecology

will be for our students?

Monmouth University is posi-

tioned in a heavily suburbanized

landscape; the perfect place for

human-wildlife interactions,

which are often situations that

people either value or fear. I

hope that both Herpetology and

Wildlife Ecology and Manage-

ment will instill an appreciation

of wildlife, especially wildlife

groups that have been misrepre-

sented or even persecuted in the

U.S. (i.e., snakes). Most fears of

reptiles and amphibians can be traced back to unsubstantiated

myths. A primary mission of both

of these courses will be to

demonstrate how the values of

people contribute to the chal-

lenges of wildlife management

and conservation.

kkkkkhkk“To catch the reader's

attention, place an interesting

sentence or quote from the story

here.”

Biology Major: Student Ath-

letes…

in New Jersey and out of state,

with the goal of applying for

entrance to vet school for Fall

2020. After finishing at Mon-

mouth, Sarah hopes to attend

graduate school to continue

studying marine and environ-mental biology and policy,

though we may find her someday

in the Peace Corps teaching

conservation and sustainability –

she is passionate about educating

others about protecting our

natural resources. As a student

athlete, Sarah commented, “The

biggest joys of being a student-

athlete are without question my

teammates and also the pride

that comes with knowing I am

doing something that not a lot of

people get to/can do. Being a

student-athlete is really challeng-

ing mentally and physically and it

is important to remind myself of

that when things feel rough. It is

also beyond amazing to have

such a big support group behind me at all time and best friends

for life that I get to make memo-

ries with every day.” Bradie is

proud to be among the first

recruits for the swimming team,

which was re-instated at Mon-

mouth in Fall 2015. During that

first season, the freshmen class

made up approximately half of

the team. Seeing the team evolve

to become competitive in the

conference has been exciting for

her. Bradie hopes to continue

her education in graduate school

after Monmouth, and sees her-

self impacting patient care in a

hospital setting in the future. For

now, she is looking forward to

the start of the next season,

commenting, “I can't wait to start my final season and be able

to make waves in the conference

with my team. We have an in-

credible group of recruits com-

ing in, which will only make our

team stronger than it is now. I

hope to improve my times and

get on the podium at champion-

ships again next year! Fly

Hawks!”

Page 3

Bradie Keelen, Biolo-

gy Major received

3rd in the conference

for the 50 Free and

4th in the conference

for the 100 Free.

McKinzee Barker: The first thing I would tell

younger athletes in this major is do not procrasti-

nate! They will hear this advice plenty of times

and still think they are able to do it. Trust me,

you cannot. Also, do not be afraid to tell your

teammates no. Often times they do not under-

stand how rigorous your schedule as a biology

major is. There will be plenty of nights you can

spend with them, but there is only one chance to

take a test. Make sure you are prepared for it

before you spend your free time unproductively.

Bradie Keelen: I would tell younger athletes

that they shouldn't be afraid to seek help! When

I was younger I thought I had to do everything

on my own and I thought that I was expected to

have everything perfectly together. That thought

caused me so much stress and definitely made

my life more difficult than it needed to be. Mon-

mouth offers so many helpful programs, from

the Peer Mentor Program to Supplemental In-

struction, and I think absolutely everyone could benefit from utilizing them. Go to office hours,

ask questions, and put yourself out there. It can

only help you.

Sarah Gillogly: Don't give up! It gets really hard at

times but you can do it! If you love science and you

love your sport, the university offers so many re-

sources to help you. The academic advisors in the

student-athlete recourse center are so amazing and

helpful, there are all kinds of tutoring, and if you don't

want to use those, chances are there are upperclass-

men on your team who are also science majors that

would love to help you out. Don’t be afraid to ask for

help and don’t be afraid to be honest with your pro-

fessors/coaches.

Senior Biology/MCP athletes Taylor, Corey, and Na-

talie… tackling a molecular biology assignment

Advice for Younger Student Athletes...

“Monmouth

offers so many

helpful pro-

grams, from

the Peer Men-

tor Program to

Supplemental

Instruction,

and I think ab-

solutely every-

one could ben-

efit from utiliz-

ing them.”

Biology Major: Student Athletes

Page 4 April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

Sarah Gillogly

Syed Mehdi A. Husaini

Men’s Lacrosse Maxwell Brookes Men’s Tennis Aidan Bodeo-Lomicky Will Cooke Wharton Women’s Basketball McKinzee Barker Taylor Nason Alexa Wallace Adriana Zelaya

Women’s Bowling Amanda Zappacosta Women’s Field Hockey Megan De Lange Kelly Hanna Men’s Track and Field Ryan Ledda Corey Murphy Christopher Putnam Chad Smiley

Men’s Swimming Ryan Hohman Ryan Reutti Women’s Track and Cross Country Ashley Sibilia Michelle Daniels Natalie Negroni Alyssa Repsher Natalie Tavares Women’s Swimming Alyssa Cherubino Mary Emich Bradie Keelen Women’s Soccer Jesi Rossman Women’s Lacrosse Sarah Gillogly Antonella Henson-Vendrell Chloe Novak Women’s Softball Kayla Rosado

Student Spotlight: Syed Mehdi A. Husaini How did you become so in-

volved in student activities?

I became involved in campus

activities my first year by at-

tending the involvement fair

and listing my name for basical-

ly any student organization I

had even a little bit of interest

in, and then narrowing things

down by trying out different

clubs. One of the really special

ones to me was the Student

Government Association, since

it seemed like a great way to be

involved with all facets of the

university at once, allowing me

to involve myself in, and push

forward, initiatives like adminis-

trative programs, new clubs on campus, club sports, and large-

scale programming for the bet-

terment of student life at Mon-

mouth. It was pretty competi-

tive to get into at first, requir-

ing an application and an in-

person interview in front of

Senate, but I was chosen to

serve and represent my class as

a Freshman Senator, and have

worked my way to being elect-

ed as President of the student

body this year. During my

term, I have worked to help

Senate implement a ton of new

programming, such as The

Nest, Monmouth's first and

only on-campus food pantry;

Inclusion Week, a set of stu-

dent-run programming focused

on conversations about diversi-

ty during the first week of

April; Parking Ticket Amnesty

Day, where students can do-

nate to the food pantry to have

a parking violation forgiven; and

an appeals process along with

other measures to keep SGA

more transparent than ever.

This has all been accomplished

while preserving our older traditions like Homecoming,

The Big Event, and Springfest to

promote a sense of tradition in

Monmouth's culture.

How do you balance your BY

coursework and role in stu-

dent government?

I balance my biology course-

work with my work in student

government by keeping my

meetings and study times orga-

nized in a planner. This is defi-

nitely not easy, as the biology

curriculum is extremely de-

manding as is. When paired

with the meetings and responsi-

bilities of the office of SGA

President, I definitely have run

into challenges when it comes

to taking the right amount of

time to study, engage in re-

search as part of Dr. Kubera's

lab, and volunteer at a local

clinic. I make sure to keep my

days highly organized and plan

meetings and group study

hours around each other, and

take the time to make sure I'm

prepared for each event and finish up any follow-up work. I

am also very glad that our Biol-

ogy Department at MU has

professors that are so under-

standing and encouraging, as

there have been times where I

have needed to miss class or

need extra help, and was...

(to be continued on back

cover)

kkkkkhkk“To catch the reader's

attention, place an interesting

sentence or quote from the story

here.”

We Are Woman, Hear Us Roar: All Girls BY-110 Course…

Contributed by Dr. Dorothy Lobo

BY 110-07 Lab in Fall 2018 was a

section comprised entirely of

women – 15 students, one facul-

ty member, and lab prep staff

that were all female as well! In

the 17 years that I have been at

Monmouth, this is the first class

that I have ever had that was

completely female (something I

have not experienced since grad-uating from an all-women’s col-

lege as an undergrad). I did not

realize the make-up of the class,

but some of the students noticed

immediately on the first day and

pointed it out. The students

were of a very diverse back-

ground, ranging from incoming

freshmen to a post-baccalaureate

pre-professional student with

multiple majors represented

(molecular/cell, MEBP, and

Health Studies). Despite the

diversity, it was a very cohesive

group – everyone pitched in to

help each other, and the atmos-

phere was very positive.

“I have never been in a class

consisting of just women. There

has always been a mix of both

men and women in all the previ-

ous classes I've been enrolled in,

especially in science. Having the

experience of being a part of an

all women BY110 lab has most

definitely been an eye opener for

me. It shows me that women

nowadays are making their

comeback in terms of equality

and I am so beyond grateful to

have experienced this last se-

mester. The overall atmosphere

of the class was very inviting. I

feel as though I was able to com-

municate just fine with each and

every individual in the class, and I

always looked forward to going

to the class for that reason. I

made quite a few friendships in

that class that I know will last a

lifetime and I am so lucky that I

got to be a part of something as

special as an all women lab.”

– Mikaela Widercrantz, MEBP

major, Class of ‘2022.

Abby Arango, Scharina Bencosme, Jordyn Chanley, Brianne Bracken,

Karin Ordonez Vega, Marissa Marcello, Abbe-Gayle Burton, Eva

Vykhopen, Jillian Haworth, Mikaela Widercrantz, Andrea Terris, Darlina

Babula, Angelina Ireland

“It shows me that

women nowadays

are making their

comeback in

terms of equality

and I am so

beyond grateful

to have

experienced this

last semester.”

Page 5

Since starting to teach the

marine biology class in Fall

2017 I have had my students

engage in outreach presenta-

tions through a collaboration

with Ms. Jenn Crow's 7th

grade class at Rumson Middle

School. I value this assignment

because it makes students have

to think differently about com-

municating marine science.

Monmouth students have to

take a topic from class and

come up with a 25 minute

presentation that engages 7th

graders. They also have to

come up with an interactive,

tactile activity relating to their

topic. But mostly, I like seeing

the mutual enjoyment of the

Monmouth and 7th grade stu-

dents on the day of the

presentations, and hearing how

much both sides enjoyed the

experience.

Marine Biology with Dr. Jason Adolf

Contributed by Dr. Jason Adolf

Transfer Champion! contin-

ued…

she has guided both freshmen

and upper-class students in

Biology on the path to gradua-

tion through the years, and has

also been serving as the Depart-

mental Advising Coordinator.

She handles approximately 30

incoming Biology transfer stu-dents in the summer preparing

for the Fall semester, and typi-

cally another dozen or so that

arrive In January for the Spring

semester. It seems like there is

never a shortage of transfer

students to the Biology Depart-

ment - Dr. Lionetti commented

that the former transfer ser-

vices secretary, Sherry

McHeffey, used to joke with her

and say "What are you giving

away in Biology?" Regularly

attending the transfer orienta-

tions, she often hangs around

long after the formal program is

completed to help students new

to the University with their

questions and last-minute

course adjustments.

Dr. Lionetti admits that han-

dling the registration of transfer

students comes with unique

challenges. Often transfer stu-

dents arrive at Monmouth with

a lot of general education courses completed, but not

always as many of the science

courses needed for the degree.

Registration is more challenging

due to prerequisite require-

ments for courses that do not

always perfectly match what has

been completed, as well as the

timing of course offerings in the

semester of their arrival. Trans-

fer students often arrive to

register after current Mon-

mouth University students com-

peted registration, so open

spots in classes are often diffi-

cult to find. Sometimes parents

are involved with the course selection, and it can be difficult

to ascertain if the student is

fully on-board with the academ-

ic plan. Despite these challeng-

es, Dr. Lionetti does her best to

get transfer students full sched-

ules that will have them on-

track to graduate in timely man-

ner. She realizes that transfer-

ring itself is often a stressful

situation, commenting that

“isn't always a first choice plan

for the student.” Despite the

challenges, Dr. Lionetti untiring-

ly strives to give the students

the most seamless entry into

their program as possible.

It is the success in students

adjusting to Monmouth that

brings some of the greatest joy,

and has kept Dr. Lionetti dedi-

cated to advising at Monmouth.

She stated, “I love to work with

students who are excited to

attend MU and to take the next

step in their lives. Helping stu-

dents feel welcome and assisting

with their transition is some-

thing I truly enjoy and I especial-

ly like having them in class so I

can get to know them and mon-

itor the transition process. I like

serving as an ambassador for

MU. It gives me great pleasure

to see them progress and even-

tually graduate from MU.”

What is especially bittersweet

about this award is that it is

named after Jean Judge, whom

Dr. Lionetti has known for

about 29 years since her first

day starting as a freshmen advi-sor.

Anthony Urmey, Director of

Transfer Student Services &

Undeclared Services, comment-

ed that Dr. Lionetti consistently

goes the extra mile to help

students, “Kathy has a very

collaborative and collegial ap-

proach to transfer student ad-

visement and registration. She is

in constant contact with our

office to make sure new stu-

dents get optimal schedules and

are registered in a timely man-

ner. She works hand in hand

with our team to ensure that

students’ transfer credits are

maximized via substitutions or

updated course evaluations. All-

in-all, she is a passionate advo-

cate for transfer students.”

Transfer Services is dedicated

to improving the experience of

transfer students at Monmouth

University, and has strived to

improve the orientation for

transfer students, as well as the

advising and registration of

incoming Hawks. Transfer Ser-

vices plans to bestow the

Transfer Champion award an-

nually during National Transfer

Student Week in the Fall.

“Kathy has a very

collaborative and

collegial

approach to

transfer student

advisement and

registration… All-

in-all, she is a

passionate

advocate for

transfer students.”

Page 6

Dr. Lionettio’s Award, Trans-fer Champion

April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

Lab Safety Corner….

Spring is in the air and the weather

is warming up. Soon many of you

ladies will be wearing those cute

shorts/shirts and strappy sandals

and you guys will be sporting

shorts and a tee. But remember it

is important to be properly

dressed when working in the la-

boratory.

On hot summer days, bring a pair

of long pants and closed toes

shoes to the lab and change into

them when you get there! And

remember to always wear your

lab coat when working in the lab!

REMEMBER!!!

NO FOOD OR

DRINK IN THE LAB!

“It shows me that women

nowadays are making their

comeback in terms of

equality and I am so beyond

grateful to have

experienced this last

semester. “

Using Fractal Patterning to Explore the Coastline and Human Body

Contributed by Dr. Karen Pesce and Tom Herrington (UCI)

Dr. Karen Pesce received a Faculty Enrichment Grant

from the Urban Coast Institute (UCI), along with her col-

laborator in the Mathematics Department, Dr. Sandra Zak,

to use fractal patterning to explore the coastline and the

human body. Fractals are repetitive, complex patterns that

exhibit self-similarity on all scales and can be analyzed

through mathematical modelling. Examples of fractals in-

clude plants, the coastline, the structure of the lungs, and

even the pattern of a heartbeat. Both Dr. Pesce and Dr.

Zak are currently teaching courses for future elementary school teachers in the Interdisciplinary Studies for Elemen-

tary Educators major, BY 202 and MA 305, and desired to

design and teach an interdisciplinary curriculum module

that would focus on the study of fractals in nature to en-

gage future teachers.

In MA305, students will attempt to measure the length of

a portion of the New Jersey Coast, first in the classroom

using maps and later by actually visiting the coastal loca-

tion. With the selection of a variety of different types of

measuring tools, and making successive measures, the

students will discover that the coast will have a longer and

longer length as they use better measuring tools and ac-

count for more and more of the coastal geography. This is

the key motivation for studying fractals; however it also will serve to focus the attention of the students on the

features of the coastal environment.

In BY 202, environmental issues relating to the coast such

as

coastal erosion and pollution

will be explored. Students will

first learn about these topics in

the classroom using case stud-

ies, lab activities and simulation

software. During the field trip,

students will gain a deeper

understanding of these issues.

In addition, aspects of the hu-

man body will be studied using fractals. For example, both the

human heart rate and lung ex-

hibit fractal patterning. By rec-

ognizing and studying patterns

that correlate with healthy

function, it may be possible to

identify alternate patterns that

would be indicative of disease

states including heart and lung

disease as well as cancer.

The impact of this work will extend to future high school

students, as Dr. Pesce and Dr. Zak wrote in their proposal

for the grant, “We believe that this module will not only

provide future educators with the content expertise need-ed in both math and science but also provide the tools so

that they can deliver interdisciplinary curricula in multiple

stem areas in their future classrooms. Students will gain

insight into how research is extended in both fields, an

awareness of the complexity of the ideas involved, and

most importantly knowledge of our coast and the work

that is being taken to investigate and understand it. We

also hope that our emphasis on field studies in the local

community will be translatable for them in their future

schools.”

Faculty Enrichment Grants were awarded by the Urban

Coast Institute (UCI) to support faculty for one semester

for projects that will enhance existing curriculum, allow

for new curriculum development, research and scholar-ship, or team-teaching opportunities. Founded in 2005 as a

University Center of Distinction, the UCI serves the public

interest as a forum for research, education, and collabora-

tion that fosters the application of the best available sci-

ence and policy to support healthy and productive coastal

ecosystems and a sustainable and economically vibrant

future for coastal communities. UCI Scholars are support-

ed by funds contributed through the generosity of donors

to the Urban Coast Institute through the Marine Science

and Policy Initiative (MSPI) challenge grant campaign and

through contributions to the UCI and the Heidi Lynn

Sculthorpe Summer Research Program.

Photos of BY 202 students hard at work in class.

Page 7

The ASBMB Chapter at Monmouth Uni-

versity (MU), founded in 2016 and mod-

erated by Drs. Martin Hicks and Jo Ouel-

let, sponsored numerous educational and

career events. Chapter meetings each

semester draw in attendance of 20 – 50

students, and have been used as the start-

ing points for numerous other meetings

and events throughout the semester. One

such activity has been the introduction of

a Student Speaker series in the spring,

during which 20-30-minute talks were

given from undergraduate students

from the laboratories of multiple in-

vestigators in the departments of

Chemistry and Biology with the goal

to promote, strengthen and widen the

student research community at MU.

These seminar series were useful as

opportunities to spread awareness of research on our campus and in pre-

paring undergraduate researchers for

presentations at conferences at the

local, regional, and national level. The

chapter also promotes attendance at

regional meetings among its members,

typically renting a van to transport re-

searchers to conferences in both the Fall

and Spring semesters. A Faculty Research

Showcase was also held in the Fall, with

85 potential undergraduate researchers in

attendance.

The club also has been very active in both

outreach and service activities. Our chap-ter developed and organized a workshop

targeted to undergraduates interested in

pursuing research at the MU campus. This

full-day “Lab Skills Bootcamp”, held in

May 2018, was led by student leaders (10-

chapter members) who introduced new

researchers (42 attendees) on the stand-

ard operating protocols for lab safety,

tissue culture and molecular biology tech-

niques as well as operation of shared

equipment. Several events have also been

held to bring awareness of biochemistry, molecular biology, and STEM to the local

community as well. One such activity was

the Strawberry DNA Extraction Project,

an outreach initiative started by Dr. Me-

gan Phifer-Rixey, Assistant Professor,

Biology Department, at MU. Chapter

members taught multiple sessions to 4th

and 5th graders. Students successfully

extracted DNA from strawberries using

common household items, and important-

ly, bonded with their undergraduate men-

tors. The program was well received by

students and teachers alike, and was car-

ried out at four local elementary schools,

reaching 80 students in the surrounding

areas of Long Branch, Ocean, and Wan-

namassa. (continued on p. 9)

Page 8

Photo from NextGen outreach Tissue Culture Workshop

April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

Experiential Education Spotlight

Contributed by Mia Collucci

Anticipated graduation date?

May 2019

Where did you complete

your ExEd experience (site &

city)?

Memorial Sloan Kettering- Mid-

dletown, Monmouth Location Josie Robertson Surgery Center,

New York City

How did you choose to do

this experience?

I received an email from pre-health advising with information

for the Clinical Oncology Open

Learning (COOL) Scholars Pro-

gram. In the program description

it included information regarding

how the program would operate

and what I could potentially gain

from being a COOL scholar. I

have had shadowing experience in

pediatrics and cardiology prior to

this internship, but never in on-

cology. I felt that this would be a

perfect opportunity to gain clini-

cal and surgical exposure in the

field of oncology. As a COOL

scholar I would not only gain

clinical and surgical observation,

but I would also participate in

team-based conferences, 1-on-1

teaching with MSK’s health care

team, and witness the screening,

diagnosing, and treating of a varie-

ty of cancers.

After going through an application

process, that required two rec-

ommendation letters and a per-

sonal essay, I was contacted for

an interview with the directors of

the program. I was eager to ac-

cept an offer as one of the two

COOL scholars at the MSK Mon-

mouth location, as I knew I was

accepting a 6-week experience

that would provide me an exten-

sive (continued on p. 9)

Next Gen Igniting Science Interests at Monmouth University & Beyond

Contributed by Michael Mazzucco

“It shows me that women

nowadays are making their

comeback in terms of

equality and I am so beyond

grateful to have

experienced this last

semester. “

ExEd Spotlight continued...

introduction in the clinical and surgical

management of different cancers, but

especially breast cancer.

What new insights did you gain

from completing ExEd?

Over the course of six weeks I met a

range of diverse patients and was able

to hear about their personal stories,

and view compassion as a form of

medicine that should be shown more

in healthcare today.

The personal stories I was present for

were not only eye-opening and mov-

ing, but made me realize that cancer

affects all types of people and comes

in all different shapes and sizes. Other

than witnessing the power of compas-

sion, I was able to see how the many

different branches of oncology come

together to treat a patient. I gained a

focused introduction to the clinical

management of breast cancer that

included breast imaging, medical on-

cology, and radiation oncology. I also

gained a better understanding of the

different types and presentations of

various cancers, as well as insight into

how these cancers are screened, diag-

nosed, and treated.

What was the most memorable

part of your experience?

The most memorable part of my ex-

perience was traveling to the Josie

Robertson Surgical Center to watch

mastectomies and lumpectomies from

inside the operating room (OR). This

was the first time I had ever been

inside an OR as an observer and

learner. My experience in the OR

could be compared to the first time I

was in anatomy and physiology lab,

seeing the functions of life as a tangible

object. I had a preconceived idea of

what each model would look like and

how they would each connect to form

a system. Before stepping into the OR,

I also had a preconceived idea of what

I would see and how each procedure

would be performed. Watching each

lumpectomy and mastectomy was not

what I had expected. Each surgery is

unique and pertinent to the individual

patient, presenting with its own chal-

lenges, possible complications, and

room for error. I witnessed each

health professional in the room com-

ing together as a unit, and each

providing a role to the patient and

overall procedure. Each member of

this surgical team supports the other,

in efforts to provide both necessary

and effective care for the patient. Be-

ing in the OR confirmed by interest in

becoming a member of a healthcare

team, providing a service that aids the

overall health status of the patient.

Also, my co-Cool Scholar and I, pre-

sented in front of medical oncologists

and other healthcare professionals

defining what a mastectomy is, and the

clinical steps leading up to surgery.

Do you have any advice for stu-

dents beginning to plan for ExEd?

Summer is not for sleeping. Time off

from a vigorous semester is the per-

fect time to gain experience and expo-

sure into various work environments,

shadowing educated professionals. No

knowledge is wasted knowledge, and

any opportunity where knowledge can

be gained is worth the application and

interview process.

Page 9

Next Gen continued…

We carried out a hands-on Tissue

Culture Workshop with the Academy

of Allied Health and Sciences

(Neptune, NJ), a local high school, in

January 2019, at MU School of Sci-

ence. In a day-long workshop, 12 vol-

unteers worked with 35 students with

the assistance of 4 professors to teach

and establish standard operating pro-

cedures in preparation and pH adjust-

ment of buffers, aseptic technique in

the tissue culture hood, splitting cells,

trypan blue staining, hemocytometer

cell counting, fixation of cells, staining

with DAPI and visualization using fluo-

rescence imaging. Our current out-

reach event, called NextGen Ignition

is being done in partnership with the New Jersey Program for Acceleration

and Computer Science, and will bring

molecular biology to at-risk teenagers

from the local towns of Neptune,

Long Branch, and Asbury Park, NJ.

Participants in the program will be

taught about Lambda bacteriophages,

DNA restriction enzymes, and gel

electrophoresis. In this ‘hands-on’

teaching, students will cut DNA, load

onto agarose gels, and visualize DNA

with fluorescence. This event is being

supported by the ASBMB Student

Chapters Outreach Grant, and results

about this event and other outreach

events conducted by the chapter will

be presented in a poster at the 2019

ASBMB Annual Meeting. Members are

hoping to have a pancake dinner this

Spring, and to be active during Schol-

arship Week in April.

Publications Danylchuk, A.J., J.A. Tiedemann, and S.J. Cooke. 2017. Perceptions of Recreational Fisheries Conservation Within the Fishing

Industry: Knowledge Gaps and Learning Opportunities Identified at East Coast Trade Shows in the United States. Fisheries Re-

search 186 (2017): 681-687.

Fox, A.G., E. S. Stowe, K.J. Dunton, and D. L. Peterson. 2018. Seasonal Occurrence of Atlantic Sturgeon in the St. Johns River,

Florida. Fisheries Bulletin 116: 219-227.

Frisk, M.G., O.N. Shipley, C.M. Martinez, K.A. McKown, J.P. Zacharias, and K.J. Dunton. 2019. First observations of long-

distance migration in a large skate species, Leucoraja ocellata: Implications for population connectivity, ecosystem dynamics, and

management. Marine and Coastal Fisheries, in press.

Klee, R.J.*, Zimmerman, K.I. and Daneshgar P.P. (In Press) Community succession after cranberry bog abandonment in

the New Jersey Pinelands. Wetlands.

Mack, K.L. Phifer-Rixey, M., Harr, B., and M. W. Nachman. 2019 . Gene expression networks across multiple tissues are asso-

ciated with rates of molecular evolution in wild house mice. Genes. 10(3), 225.

Mack, K.L., Ballinger, M.A., Phifer-Rixey, M., and M.W. Nachman. 2018. Gene regulation underlies environmental adaptation in

house mice. Genome Research. https://genome.cshlp.org/content/early/2018/10/10/gr.238998.118

Marchese, V.*, Juarez, J.*, Patel, P.*, and Hutter-Lobo, D. (2019) Density-Dependent ERK MAPK expression regulates

MMP-9 and influences growth. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. In press.

Moeller, A. H., T. A. Suzuki, M. Phifer-Rixey, and M. W. Nachman. 2018. Transmission modes of the mammalian gut microbio-

ta. Science. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/362/6413/453

Phifer-Rixey, M., Bi, K., Ferris, K.G., Sheehan, M.J., Lin, D., Mack, K.L., Keeble, S.M., Suzuki, T., Good, J.M., and M.W. Nachman. 2018. The genomic basis of environmental adaptation in house mice. PLoS Genetics. https://journals.plos.org/

plosgenetics/article/authors?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1007672

*Popkin, S., *Nanchanatt, A., *Mauterer, M. and Rhoads, D.E. 2018. Co-administration of amphetamine with alcohol results in

decreased alcohol withdrawal severity in adolescent rats. Behavioural Pharmacology 29:547–550.

Tiedemann, J. 2018. The BOFFFF Principle: Do Bigger Stripers Make Better Spawners? The Fisherman Magazine. Volume 46:

November 2018.

Tiedemann, J. 2018. Spring Blues: Slammer Savagery and Science. The Fisherman Magazine. Volume 46: April 2018.

Presentations

Andre, N.*, Engstrom, C.*, Tampy, A.*, Tiedemann, J. , and Phifer-Rixey, M. Using microsatellite genotyping to char-

acterize migration patterns in Striped Bass. Evolution in Philadelphia Conference, Philadelphia, PA. September 2018.

Badlowski, G.A,*, and K.J. Dunton. 2018. Trends in the Abundance and Spatial-Temporal variation of Sharks and Rays in

New Jersey Coastal Waters. 148th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Atlantic City, NJ, August 19-23.

Daneshgar, P.P. 2018 Climate change impacts on maritime and mangrove forest ecosystems. Biodiversity, Earth and

DeTorre, M.C*. L. Holt, M.G. Frisk, R.M. Cerrato, and K.J. Dunton. 2018. Seasonal Diet and Prey Selectivity of Atlantic

Page 10 April 2019 • Volume 1, Issue 1

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations for 2018

“It shows me that women

nowadays are making their

comeback in terms of

equality and I am so beyond

grateful to have

experienced this last

semester. “

Page 11

Environmental Science Graduate Research Seminar. Drexel University. May 3, Philadelphia, PA.

DeTorre, M.C*. L. Holt, M.G. Frisk, R.M. Cerrato, and K.J. Dunton. 2018. Seasonal Diet and Prey Selectivity of Atlantic

Sturgeon in a Coastal Marine Aggregation. 148th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Atlantic City, NJ, Au-

gust 19-23.

Donovan, T.*, Hanna, K.*, Walton, L.*, Popo, C.,* Riley, M.* and Daneshgar, P.P. 2018 Plant Community Im-

pacts on Northern Diamondback Terrapin Nest Site Selection and Success. Mid-Atlantic Diamondback Terrapin Working

Group. Jacques Cousteau National Terrapin Estuaring Research Reserve, Tuckerton, NJ.

Dunphy, B., Bastian, R., Kukowski,J., Trembley P., McGuigan,M 2018. “An Active Leaning Approach Utilizing Case Study

Presentations to Demonstrate Physiological Principles in Anatomy and Physiology. Statistical Analysis on the Use of Active

Learning in Anatomy and Physiology. “

Poster presented at SENCER Summer Institute 2018.

Dunphy, B. “An active Learning Approach Utilizing Case Study Presentations to Demonstrate Physiological Principles in

Anatomy and Physiology” Poster Session Human Anatomy and Physiology Society ( HAPS) conference, Columbus Ohio ,

May 26-28, 2018.

Dunton, K.J., J.A Webb*, L. M. Kelly*, *, E. Ingram, D.A. Fox, M.G. Frisk. 2018. Temporal Monitoring of the Endan-

gered Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) in Sandy Hook Bay. Symposium Titled: Applied Sturgeon Science: Impact

Assessment, Monitoring, Protection, Management, and Restoration. 148th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Socie-

ty Atlantic City,NJ, August 19-23.

Ingram, E., K.J. Dunton, and M.G. Frisk. 2018. Occurrence of Atlantic Sturgeon in the New York Wind Energy Area.

148th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Atlantic City, NJ, August 19-23.

Jacob, J.*, Soni, S.* and Lobo, D. 2018. Effects of manuka and kumquat essential oils on the growth and Viability of human cancer cell lines. Metropolitan Association of College and University Biologists (MACUB) Annual Meet-

ing, October 2018.

Klee, R.*, Zimmerman, K. and Daneshgar, P.P. 2018 Community Succession After Cranberry Bog Abandonment

Within the New Jersey Pinelands. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. August 5-10. New Orleans, LA.

Longo, T.*, Shaheed, S.*, Vera, S*, Ballinger, M., Nachman, M., and Phifer-Rixey, M.. Variation in reproductive traits

among house mice adapted to different climates in the Americas. Evolution in Philadelphia Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

September 2018.

Longo, T.*, Ballinger, M., Nachman, M., and Phifer-Rixey, M. Variation in reproductive traits among house mice adapted

to different climates in the Americas. William Paterson Undergraduate Research Symposium, Paterson, NJ. April 2018.

Phifer-Rixey, M., et al. The genetics of environmental adaptation: house mice in the Americas. Population, Evolutionary,

and Quantitative Genetics, Genetics Society of America, Madison, WI. May 2018.

Phifer-Rixey, M., et al. The genetics of environmental adaptation: house mice in the Americas (invited talk). William and

Mary, Williamsburg, VA. November 2018.

Reiss, B.*, Dunton, K., and Phifer-Rixey, M. DNA extraction from Atlantic Sturgeon spine and fin tissue. William

Paterson Undergraduate Research Symposium, Paterson, NJ. April 2018..

Rhoads, D.E., *O’Shea, C. and *Telatin M. Lipid Raft Dynamics in the Adolescent Brain under the Influence of Chronic

Ethanol and Caffeine. American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Experimental Biology 2018, San Diego

CA, April 22, 2018.

Rhoads, D.E. Leadership Skill Development in an Undergraduate Biochemistry Lab. American Society of Biochemistry and

Molecular Biology at Experimental Biology 2018, San Diego CA, April 22, 2018. Selected for oral presentation.

Monmouth University

Biology Department

400 Cedar Avenue

West Long Branch, NJ

07764

Phone: 732-571-3429

Fax: 732-263-5213

Website:

www.monmouth.edu/

biology

The Biology Department would like to congratulate

Pooja Shah for receiving a research grant ($1000) from

the Independent College Fund of New Jersey (ICFNJ)

and then won the top award for best poster presenta-

tion at the ICFNJ research conference.

Biology Student Recognition...

Check us out on the Web!

www.facebook.com/MonmouthUniversity/ www.twitter.com/monmouthu www.youtube.com/monmouthuniversity www.flickr.com/monmouthu

Sebastian Vera, Megan Phifer-Rixey. Identifying pathways with signals of global regulation linked

to environmental adaptation in house mice (poster). William Paterson Undergraduate Research Sym-

posium, Paterson, NJ. April 2018.

*$#Shah, Pooja and Rhoads, D.E. Modeling Adolescent Co-Use of Alcohol and Amphetamine: A

Pilot Study with the SHR Model for ADHD. Research Conference of the Independent College Fund of

New Jersey, Liberty Science Center, NY, March 19, 2019.

*Telatin, M., *Shah, P.M., *Negroni, N.C. and Rhoads, D.E. An alcohol-adapted lipid raft: Is it a target

for amphetamine and caffeine? Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society Annual Meeting, Philadelphia PA,

September 27, 2018.

Tiedemann, J.A. and A.J. Danylchuk. 2018. Stripers for the Future: A Collaborative Angler-Based

Research and Education Partnership. Presented at the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting.

Atlantic City, NJ. Abstract in: Abstracts of the 2018 American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting.

Vasas, C.J. *, A. M. Salamone*, G. A. Badlowski*, L. M. Kelly*, T.A. Ohntrup*, A.J. Ro-

tondella,and K.J. Dunton. 2018. Collaborative Efforts to Evaluate the Demographics and Post-

Release Movements of Sharks Captured in the Recreational Land-Based Surf Fishery. Symposium Ti-

tled: Bringing in the Experts: Collaborative Research Partnerships with Fishing Industry Stakeholders.

148th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Atlantic City, NJ, August 19-23.

$#Pooja Shah received a research grant ($1000) from the Independent College Fund of New Jersey (ICFNJ) and then won

the top award for best poster presentation at the ICFNJ research conference.

Student Spotlight continued...

assisted by an eager faculty

member.

What are your future goals at

MU and beyond?

I plan on attending medical

school after I graduate in May

2020, and intend to focus on

working in health equity. I have-

n't decided if that means work-

ing in public health policy or

administration, but I hope to

obtain an MBA along the way to

help mitigate aspects of the soci-

oeconomic gradient in American

healthcare to promote better

patient outcomes regardless of

race, class, and status. My expe-riences in the classroom and as

President of SGA have given me

a good foundation for that jour-

ney in terms of knowledge, lead-

ership, and decision-making, and

I hope to make a difference in

the healthcare industry one day.

What advice would you give

to younger students who want

to become involved and

make a difference here?

If I had to give advice, I would

definitely say don't be afraid of

stretching yourself too thin at

first. It is a much better move to

get involved in things you like

and then adjust your level of

involvement depending on your

primary objective, which is

coursework and performance in

classes. It's okay to take that risk

because you will never want to

have regrets about the opportu-

nities you may have been able to

take advantage of. I would also

say younger students should get

involved in extracurricular work

that is outside of their area of

study to broaden their horizons

and make themselves more well-

rounded. You will get plenty of

exposure to content if you ma-

jor in the life sciences, but other

opportunities on campus can

help you grow and develop your

ability to interact with others

and make positive change on

your surroundings. Lastly, make

sure to schedule time to take

care of yourself!